‘Puss in Boots’ Slashes the Competition!

A surprise number one finish for Paramount Pictures’ Dreamworks Animation release of Puss in Boots shows the power of the family film audience. Earning a whopping $33 million in its second weekend the film dropped a kitty-sized 3% and has now taken in over $75 million to date. The movie has earned $39 mil in 4 international territories and $114.5 million around the world. IMAX showings drew another $2.1 million (7% of the box office) this weekend and for the first time since Avatar, the giant screen presentations brought in a bigger second Saturday than the first.

Universal’s Tower Heist starring Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller came in on the low end of expectations with $25.1 million worth of box office loot this weekend. Directed by Brett Ratner who helmed the Rush Hour franchise, the action comedy features an all-star cast and attracted audiences who were in the mood for some summer-style PG-13 fun.

The first holiday-themed movie of the season got high marks from the college aged crowd as A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas lit up the Christmas tree with $13.1 million. This is the third film in the franchise and features John Cho and Kal Penn in the title roles and Neil Patrick Harris playing once again a fictionalized version of himself.

Paramount’s Paranormal Activity 3 is holding in the top 5 after three weekends of release with $8.5 million. Despite a steep second weekend drop the horror phenomenon is a huge profit center for Paramount and has scared up over $95 million in total domestic revenue by the end of the weekend.

Fox’s sci-fi thriller In Time debuted in third place but has been holding steady in second place mid-week and too in another $7.7 million in this, its second weekend. Starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried the film will cross the $24 million mark by Sunday night after 10 days of release.